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First days of vacation, sun and... a cold sore. The also known as "fever" or "fever of the lips" is caused by a virus that remains silent in our body until a trigger makes it wake up.
How do you come into contact with the herpes virus?
"The first contact with the culprit of this infection, which in most cases is herpes simplex virus 1 (Hsv1), occurs at a young age. Young children are infected by adults who kiss them, not knowing that they are about to have cold sores or recovering from a recent relapse," explains Stefano Veraldi, professor of the Dermatological Clinic course at the University of Milan Bicocca.
"After primary infection, usually asymptomatic in children, the virus 'retreats' to the nerve nodes closest to the site of infection, where it remains dormant. Occasionally, it can resurface and lead to relapses that manifest themselves in the so-called 'lip fever', that is, cold sores," adds Veraldi.
Is it contagious?
"The time span in which the virus can be transmitted is short because, once the vesicles appear, the virus immediately returns to the nerve ganglia," says Professor Veraldi, "contagion can only occur when the virus is in active replication, through direct contact with the serum of the vesicles in the skin or mucous membranes.. In addition, it is only possible to infect individuals who have not yet had contact with the virus, usually children, especially the youngest, between 3 months and 3 years of age.
What favors relapses
"A small deficit in the immune defenses is enough for the virus to reactivate. It can occur in times of stress, for example after a trip, a flu, and at this time especially after excessive exposure to sunlight, "says the professor.
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How it manifests itself: symptoms
"Almost everyone has been in contact with the herpes simplex virus 1, but only some people get cold sores, which appear mostly on or around the lips," Veraldi explains.
"The first warning sign is a tingling and discomfort sensation in the lips. In 1-2 days a reddened area appears, on which small vesicles develop, which become pustules or rupture forming erosions. Usually, if they are not touched and improper creams are not applied, in a few days these two lesions tend to dry with the formation of crusts. When they fall, the skin is back to the way it was before, without marks or scars," he adds.
"As for children, although the primary infection does not usually give striking symptoms, sometimes herpetic stomatitis can appear, with small ulcers especially in the gums, which can be accompanied by fever, inflammation of the gums, irritability, increase in the size of the lymph nodes and loss of appetite, "he says.
Treatment of cold sores
"Cold sores usually heal on their own a week after the appearance of the blisters," explains the expert.
"To speed healing, products that help dry lesions are sometimes used, such as astringent gels, or antiviral creams, which are only useful if used at the first symptoms. Healing times can be prolonged if improper creams or home remedies are used, making the situation worse. People who often have recurrences are sometimes offered preventive treatment with antivirals. A rare complication is bacterial superinfection of the blisters, which requires specific antibiotic treatment," he concludes.